Assembly
Scratchbuilding and Breaking Things
Painting
- Black Basing
- Tonal Crush
- Multi-Layer Chipping
- Give Your Cockpits More Depth
- The Three-Layer Blend Technique
- Natural Metal Finishes (COMING SOON)
- Masking Wing Stripes (COMING SOON)
- Realistic wood grain
Weathering
- Drybrushing (Armor)
- Fun with Pigments (COMING SOON)
- Filtering with Oils (COMING SOON)
- The Sludge Wash (COMING SOON)
Doogs Models 
I have a question about your 3-layer blend paint technique.
Are you changing the airbrush pressure at all between the layers?
Probably somewhat. I always dial in pressure by feel and it doesn’t really vary much beyond a 5-10 psi range.
5-10 wow seriously?
Been using 25 constantly (tamiya + x20a to “milk”-like). Was getting sand effect time by time, but thought its all about wrong amount of x20a added.
Thanks
Hi Doogs,
Fantastic website, really impressive stuff!
In your three-layer blend technique, how do you handle camouflage patterns? Do you treat the separate colour regions as individual 3-layer blend sections, or do everything in the lightest colour with a final spray of anything darker in the relevant areas? (…and if thats the case, how do you maintain the depth between the lighter/darker shades?)
Kind regards,
Richard
Hi Doog! What’s your feedback on how to apply extensive non-linear masking for the model like P-51 in “The Three-Layer Blend Technique”?
Isn’t this really just pre-shading inverted? Instead of shading the panellines you lighten the panels. In the end, the effect is pretty much the same. I use a mixture of both, including some wild brushing trying to break the regular pattern created by highlighting the panels/panellines.
I was hoping for some crazy “non-patternized” method of painting your models after reading your post about why you think panelline shading is bad. It’s really quite hard breaking the habit of creating a very regular patterned paintjob, especially since all of the current literature that at least I have read show exactly that style of painting. Oh well, guess I will experiment on my own a little.
Nikolas – I assume you’re looking at the three layer blend and that’s what you’re referencing? That’s an older technique that I’ve since discarded. I highly recommend checking out my post on black basing (linked further up the page) – it sets up a non-patternized approach very well and eliminates the “cover the gray” issue with regular primer that IMO leads to too-heavy, monotone paint application.
Hey, yes, that’s what I was referencing to, I guess I messed up the tabs a little. Saw the black basing post, that’s what I was hoping for. I’ll try and use that technique on my next models – thanks!
Hey Doogs,
Thanks for your site very helpful!
What needle size do you use when spraying the black Mr. Finishing 1500?
And what mixing ratio do you use for it Mr. Leveling thinner 1:1, 2:1?
Thanks!
Hi Doogs,
Great guide! – it will also change my way of painting. Question: Do you use the same black-basing also for armors and other models or only for planes?
Thanks!
I do it for armor as well, but it depends on what the subject needs.
Hi Matt,
Getting lots of help and ideas from your blogs. Looking forward to your thoughts and ideas about natural metal finishes and stripes. I’ll need to do both on my 1/32 Tamiya P-51. I’m replicating a beautifully restored Mustang that belonged to my late friend Eddie Andreini. I’m pretty sure I can get the chrome/mirror finish on the fuselage with Alclad chrome over gloss black. The polished metal on the plane is pretty monochromatic but I’m wondering if some kind of slight difference on selected panels might be worth doing.In any case I enjoy your shit; keep posting it! Thanks
Hi Doog, hope all is well with you.. Please have a look at my models with metalfinnish. Large Scale on Googl. The Planes.. F86 Skyblazer Italeri F 104 RCAF 1 /32 P 51 Mustang Tamiya P51 Zoukei Mura FSM April 17 Best rergards from Germany Heinz Johannsen all Modells 1/32
This is by far the best technique blog I’ve come across. I can’t wait to try out these and improve my modelling skills. Thanks for the time you’ve taken to put this blog together!